Ivanka Trump Brand Ended Deal With Japanese Firm Over Government Ties

Ivanka Trump’s fashion brand called off a deal with a major Japanese apparel company after learning that it was backed by the Japanese government, Ms. Trump’s company said in a letter made public on Monday.

The New York Times reported in December that Ms. Trump’s company was finalizing the agreement when Ms. Trump sat in on her father’s meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, and that the company’s largest shareholder was a government-owned bank. The brand “decided not to pursue further negotiations” the next month, the company said.

The details about the company’s decisions were laid out in a two-page response to Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, who asked a series of questions in early May about Ms. Trump’s business operations. The letter, and the Democrats’ response, were released by lawmakers in the latest volley between Democrats and the Trump family businesses.

The brand said that it was “committed to conducting business in an ethical matter,” and outlined some of the steps Ms. Trump had taken to remove herself from her company — including resigning from its day-to-day operations and rolling the brand into a trust.

But lawmakers on Monday said they “remain concerned” that Ms. Trump may still be using the White House to benefit her private interests.

News that Ms. Trump’s brand had called off the deal with the apparel company, Sanei, has been reported, but details about exactly why, or when, remained unclear. In its response to the lawmakers, Ms. Trump’s company said it sent Sanei “written notice” of its decision to pull out of the deal on Jan. 13.

Representatives for Sanei could not be reached for comment.

Scrutiny of Ivanka Trump shoes, clothing and accessories has intensified since Ms. Trump announced in March that she would become an official West Wing adviser, meaning that she would have to follow rules that prohibit federal employees from using public office for personal gain.

To try to minimize potential conflicts, Ms. Trump rolled the brand into a trust overseen by her brother-in-law, Josh Kushner, and sister-in-law, Nicole Meyer. Jamie Gorelick, a prominent Democratic lawyer, acts as an independent ethics adviser, reviewing all prospective deals for potential problems.

“Of course, resigning from day-to-day management of the Ivanka Trump Collection does not diminish Ms. Trump’s private interest in her company, or in any way mitigate her obligations under federal law,” House Democrats wrote in their latest letter to Abigail Klem, the president of the Ivanka Trump brand.

The commitee requested more information about how the company was avoiding ethical problems, including in China, where the brand received approvals for three trademarks on the same day Ms. Trump met with the president, Xi Jinping. This month, The Wall Street Journal reported that the company had applied for 14 trademarks the day before Ms. Trump took on her job as a White House adviser.

The letter disclosed on Monday asked Ms. Klem whether Ms. Trump’s decision to join the administration played a role in the timing of the company’s decision to file the trademark applications, and whether employees at her company knew of her meeting with the Chinese president.

Lawmakers and ethics experts have raised concerns about other parts of the Trump business empire. On Monday, Maryland and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit accusing President Trump of violating a constitutional ban against self-dealing by failing to shed his private business interests.

Hiroko Tabuchi contributed reporting.

A version of this article appears in print on , Section B, Page 3 of the New York edition with the headline: Trump Brand Scuttles Deal Over Firm’s Official Links. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe